If you haven’t yet carved your jack-o-lantern for the season, this weekend is the perfect (and, well, last) opportunity for you to express your artistic abilities before Halloween! I don’t recall much about pumpkin carving as a kid other than I liked to use a pencil to draw my shapes, and my dad was in [...]

Until this year, I’ve never had the opportunity to buy candy for trick-or-treaters. Wee ones didn’t trick-or-treat on our street when I was growing up (perhaps it had something to do with the lack of sidewalks) and ever since, I’ve lived in neighborhoods where nary a child has rung the bell on October 31. But [...]

“My Favorite Things” is a lovely show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music. Its lyrics conjure up images of raindrops on roses, bright copper kettles, and crisp apple strudels. And while I do like these things, I especially appreciate this song because of how it highlights the importance of [...]

“Let’s stay on task!” is a phrase that some elementary school teachers say at least once a day. This comment is intended to help creative thinkers focus on their math equations instead of the homemade rubber band ball with which they’re playing. This comment is also intended to encourage self-discipline and follow-through. For those of [...]

The hubster and I eat steel cut oats regularly. Five mornings a week, as a matter of fact. On workdays, we happen to enjoy hot cereal. There’s something satisfying about it. Plus, it reminds me of my elementary school days when my siblings and I ate oatmeal or “cornmeal mush,” and got to [...]

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. A little advance planning goes a long way. This phrase is accurate in so many situations, including when you want to avoid the telecommunications maze known as audio prompts. We all have those days when things are especially busy and we have just five or so [...]

Hair dryers are unique contraptions of heated wonderment. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and price points. Just like Kitchen Aid’s trusty mixer collection, hair dryers can be purchased along with a treasure trove of accessories. For those of us who rely on our hair dryers to do their job at o’dark-thirty [...]

I love being organized in the same way that wee ones love jumping in leaf piles (or mud puddles) at the pumpkin patch. For me, living my version of organizational bliss is exhilarating and fun because it supports order and harmony in my daily life. During this holiday weekend, I was reminded of yet another [...]